Running-gear for motor-driven vehicles.



vPATEN'I'E])T"EB. 25, 1908.

R. P. HICKS. RUNNING GEAR FOR MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

UNTTED STATEEi REX PARKER HICKS, Oi -MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA RUNNING-GEAR FOR IlIOTOR-DRIVEN VEHICLES.

no. seep-7c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application filed November 21. 1906. Serial No. 844.451-

To all whom it m In; concern:

Be it known that I, REX PARKER Hicks, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Running- Gear for Motor-Driven Vehicles; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

iviy invi' ntion relates to running gearfor vehicles "which carry the motive power for" their own propulsion, and has for its object to improve the same in the several particulars hereinafter noted.

Generally stated, this invention is in the nature of improvement in that type of running gear in which, in addition to the usual frame supporting wheels (of which there are usually four) a fifth or driving wheel proper is added, the connections between this said fifth or driving wheel and the rear wheels of the vehicle and the frame thereof being such that the weight of the load is carried partly by the said driving wheel and partly by the other wheels of the vehicle.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like fcharacters indicate like parts throughout the sevgral views. I

Referring to the drawings, Figure '1 ma plan view, showing the running gear of the vehicle in which my invention is incorporated. Fig. 2 is a view principally in side elevation, but with some parts sectioned on the line in x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section taken approximately on the line m x of Fig. 1, some parts being removed; and Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, showing the rear axle and rear wheels of the running gear, some parts being broken away.

The frame of the. running gear is preferably made up of a pair of long laterally spaced angle bars 1 and a multiplicity of transverse tic bars 2. This frame-work, as shown, is designed to be supported through the intervention ofelliptical front springs 23 and elliptical rear springs 4. The front springs 3, at their forward ends, are shown as pivot-ally connected to the. front ends of the frame bars 1, and at their rear ends as connected to the said frame bars by short links 5.- The front axle 6 is rigidly secured to the central portions of the said front springs 8 and at its E ends is provided with the usual pivoted runnions Ton which the front wheels 8 are journaled in the/usual way. Also, the said trunnions 7 are shown as provided with rearwardly extended arms 9 that are connected for parallel movements by a link 10 that constitutes part of the usualsteering connection to the said front wheels.

The rear springs 4, at their rear ends, are

brackets 12 rigidly secured to and constituting extensions of the frame bars 1. The front ends of said springs 4 are shown as connected by short links 13 to anchoring brackets 14 rigidly secured to the said frame bars 1. The rear wheels 15 are loosely journaled on the projecting ends of the rear axle 16, and the said axle is connected to the frame of'saidrunning gear by novel means hereinafter described. The said rear axle is shown as provided with a depressed intermediate portion, as best shown in Fig. 4, but this is done for convenience and is not an essential feature of this invention.

The numeral 17 indicates, diagrammatically, a multicylinder explosive engine rigidlysupported by the forward portion of the framework and provided with a rearWar dly extended driving shaft 18 mounted in suitable bearings on the. said framework. 4

The numeral 19 indicates a gasolene ,or oil tank which, as shown, is suitably supported from the rear portion of the frame-work.

Those parts which relate particularly to my invention will now be described. Rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of the rear axle 16, preferably inward-"of the frame bars 1, are two forwardly projecting laterally spaced equalizing bars 20". A heavy spindle ,or transverse shaft 21 that extends parallel to the axle 16 is rigidly secured at its ends to the forward ends of said equalizing bars 20. On the intermediate portion of this spindle 21 is loosely journaled a fifth or additional wheel, to-wit, the traction on driving wheel 22. This wheel 22 is preferably heavier and stronger and has a larger tire than the wheels 8 and 15, and on its hub it is shown as provided with a sprocket wheel 23 and a brake drum 24.

ltigidly secured to the frame-work of the running gear in front of the driving wheel 22, is a support, preferably in the form of a heavy transverserod 25.

The rear axle 16, the spindle 2-1 and the socalled "equalizingbars 20 constitute a shown as connected by short links 11 totransverse rod 25.

rigid frame, and together with the two rear wheels and'the driving wheel 22 constitute a tricycle. The forward portion of this tricycle frametis connected to the running gear frame with freedom for vertical movements and in such manner that the driving force from the traction Wheel is transmitted to the main frame of the running gear. This is best accomplished by a pair of laterally spaced connecting links or bars 26 that are pivotally attached to the said shaft 21 and to the said The correspondin equal: izing bars or levers and connecting links or *bars 26 make up a pair ofv toggle-acting 0011-,

neetions that connect the rear axle to the vehicle frame with thetrfactionior driving Wheel 22 journaled at intermediate-points of the said toggle connections. The rear axleis, therefore, free to move slightly forward'and rearward with res ect, to the vehicle frame, as is required wiien the driving wheel or one or both of the rear wheels run over an obstruction or ,into a depression in the road bed. I

' The wei ht of the rear portion of the running gear aim and the load carried thereby is transmitted through the rear springs 4 to the so-ealled equalizing bars or levers 20 and through the latter is transmitted in down- Ward pressure in part to the driving wheell 22 and in part to the rear wheels 15. Under vibratory movements of the running gear frame and parts carried thereby, with res ect to the wheels and axles and the tricyc e frame above noted, there is a tendency for said frame to sway or rock laterally,

and very considerable force would be re-, .quired to overcome this'tendency and any connections attempting to prevent such lateral oscillatory movements would be subject to very great strains. For instance, if the so-called connecting links 26' be made rigid, they would be subjected to very great i torsio'nal strains, and something would have to spring or break unless, in fact, the said parts were made of impractical size and 27, at their intermediate portions, are preferably provided with angular heads 28, by means of which they may be turned, and they are each provided with a lock nut 29 by means of which each bolt may be rigidly locked to one of the sections of the said links.

- With this arrangement,- each coupling rod 27 is free to rotate or 'move with the swivel connection in one of the sections of the hnk m whlch it is incorporated. Otherwise stated,

the two sections of the links are free for. swivel or rotary movement under torsional strain. Also, the said threaded coupling rod 27 affords means for pro erly adjusting the length of the coupling finks 26. This connection between the said S')liI1gS 4 and the'intermediate portions of t 1e equalizing bars or levers 20 is referably made by means of heavy studs 30 t at are rigidly but adjust ably secured at their inner ends to the respective equalizing bars 20, and at their outer ends are connected to brackets 31 that are.

rigidly secured to the intermediate portions of the said rear springs A. To provide for the adjustment of the studs .30 with respect to the equalizing bars 20, said bars are formed with lon itudinal slots 32, and said studs are provide with annular clamping flanges 33, the loose clam ing washers 34 and nuts 3-5. The inneren s of the said studs project through said slots, and when the nuts 25 are tightened, the clampin flanges 33 and washers 34 are tightly cl amped against the 'respective equalizing bars 20, thereby rigidly securing the said studs in whatever position they may be set.

Mounted in suitable hearings on the running gear frame, is a short transverse shaft 36 that carries a sprocket .wheel 37. A sprocket chain 38 runs over the sprocket wheels 37 and 23 to impart motion from the,

shaft 36 to the driving wheel 22. The sh aft 36 is driven from the shaft 18 throughjany suitable connections (not shown) such, for instance, as the usual reversible variable speed etire' transmission mechanism which may be assumed to be located withinthe casing 39, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1, and shown as supported by two of the cross bars 2 of the running gear frame.-

Attention has already been called to the fact that by the construction described, )art of the weight of the rear portion of the ioad may be carried by the driving Wheel 22 and apart thereof by the rear wheels 15, and it is, of course, evident that by adjustin the spring connecting studs 30 to the equa izing bars or levers 20 at different points lon itudinally thereof, the proportions of the load which will be carried by the driving wheel 22 and by the rear wheels 15, may be varied so as to give the proper traction or frictional contact between the said driving wheel and the road bed. The links'll and 13' which connect the rear springs 4 to the main frame, permit a considerable variation in the positions of the connecting studs 30 with respect to the equalizing bars 20.

Iii-running over an obstruction or over a depression in the road bed, the driving wheel and-the rear wheels of the vehicle passes over the same in succession or at different times, so that the equalizing levers 20 are given a rocking movement which raises or lowers the spring connecting studs 30 to a plan, when equipped with solid rubber tires will run as smoothly or smoother, that is,

free from vibrations, when running over rough roads, as a machine equipped. with the ordinary pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires, as is well known, are expensive to maintain and, hence, there is a decided advantage in point of economy in the use of solid rubber or other hard tires.

It will be noted that the links 26' are so disposed that their projected axes approximately intersect the axis of the sprocket-equipped shaft vI-Ience, such upward and downward movements as will be imparted to the driving wheel '22 incident to service on rough roads, will not materially change the tension of the driving chain 38.

The equalizing bars 20, rear axle 16 and spindle 21 have hitherto been referred to as "iconstituting a rigid tricycle frame. These parts really constitute a frame which is independent of but supplemental to the main The expression supplemental frame is, therefore, used in a boardsense. The expression main frame is also used in a broad sense and might include more or less of the body portion of the vehicle. It is, of course, obvious that so far as this invention is concerned, any suitable motive power maybe employed.

What I claim is:

,1. In a running gear of the kind described, the combination with a main frame and a supplemental frame, of rear wheels journaled to said supplemental frame,.a driving wheel journaled to said supplemental frame between and forward of said rear wheels, resilient main frame supporting connections applied to said supplemental frame longi- --tudinally intermediate of the axes of said frame, rear wheels journaled to the rear por tion of said supplemental fra'me,,a driving wheel ournaled to the forward portion of "said supplemental frame and located trans versely between said rear wheels, springs connected to said supplemental frame longitudinally intermediate of the axes of said driving wheel and ,of said rear wheels and supporting the rear portion of said main frame, links connectin the forward portion of said supplemental frame to a more for ward portion of said main frame, and means for rotating said driving wheel, substantially as described. I

3. ..In a running gear of the kind described, the combination with a main frame and front wheels connected to the forward ortion thereof, of a rear axle, laterally space equalizing bars and transverse spindle, said parts being rigidly connected and constitutin a rigid supplemental frame, wheels journaIed on the ends of said rear axle, a driving wheel journaled on said spindle, main frame si1p porting connections applied to the intermediate portions of said equalizing bars, links connecting the forward portion of said rigid supplemental frame to the more forward portion of said main frame, and means for rotating said driving wheel, substantially as described.

4. In a running gear of the kind described,

the combination with. a main frame and front wheels connected to the forward por- 5. In a running gear of the kind described,

the combination with a main frame having suitable wheel support at its forward portion, of a supplemental frame, rear wheels and a driving wheel j ournaled to said supplemental 1 frame with the said driving wheel located transverselybetween said rear wheels and axially out of line therewith, and swiveled links connecting said supplemental frame to said main frame, substantially as described.

6. In arunning gear of the kind described, the combination with a'main frame having suitable wheel support at its gforward portion, of a rear axle, laterally spaced equalizing bars and forwardly .located spindle, which arts are rigidly, united and constitute a rigic supplemental frame, of rear wheels journaled on said rear axle, a driving Wheel journaled on said spindle, main frame supporting connections applied to the intermediate portion of said equalizing bars, and links connecting the forward portion of said supplemental frame to a more forward portion of said main frame, said links having swivel-acting connections interposed therein, substantially as descril ed.

7. In a running gear of the kind described,

- the: combination with a main frame having ltal frame to'sliid main'franiej said links having- -.=swi vel'- acting connections interposed therein, substantially asdescribed. v

z 8. In a'running gear offlthelgind described, the combination with a main frammlmving suitable wheel support'at' its frirward portion, of a supplemental frame, rear wheels journaled tov said supplemental frame, a drivin wheel also journaledto said supplementa frame and located transversely between said rear wheels and axially-out of v line therewith, main frame supporting connections adjustably a plied to said supple mental frame longitu inally intermediate of the axes of said driving Wheel and 'of said .rear wheels, and connections between said supplemental and main frame for causing the same to travel together, substantially as described.

9. In a running gear of the kind described, the combination with a main frame having suitable wheel support atits forward portion, of a supplemental frame, rear wheels jourfialed to said supplemental frame, a drivin wheel also journaled to said supplementa frame but located transversely between said rear wheels and out of axial alinement therewith, rear springs attached to said main frame with freedom for movements 4 longitudinally thereof, and s ring supporting connections adjustably app ied to sald supplemental frame longitudinally intermediate of the axes of said driving wheel and of said rear wheels, and connections for causing said supplemental and main f rames'to travel together, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REX PARKER HICKS. Witnesses MALIE HQEL,

F. D. MERCHANT. 

